Exercise device having sled or wheelbarrow configuration

ABSTRACT

An exercise device having a sled or wheelbarrow configuration comprises a frame that is pushed across a support surface by a user. The frame carries a wheel that movably supports the frame in the wheelbarrow configuration and at least one skid that movably supports the frame in the skid configuration. A pair of handles is selectively repositionable on the frame from a vertical orientation used in the sled configuration and a horizontal orientation used in the wheelbarrow configuration to quickly and easily convert the device between its different configurations. The frame has a carriage that supports a plurality of exercise weight members with the carriage being movable in a fore-and-aft direction on the frame for changing the effort required from the user to push the frame.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates generally to exercise equipment and, moreparticularly, to sled and wheelbarrow type devices that are manuallymoved by a user over a substantially horizontal support surface, such asthe ground or a floor, to thereby build strength.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Exercise devices are known, often popularly called “sleds”, whichcomprise a ground engaging frame that the user moves over asubstantially horizontal support surface, such as the ground or a floor,to build leg and upper body strength. In many cases, such a sledincludes handles which the user, who is standing behind the sled, gripsand pushes forwardly against to push the sled over the support surfacein a generally forward direction of motion. In other cases, the sledincludes some type of harness which the user, who is now standing aheadof the sled, wears to pull or drag the sled behind the user in agenerally forward direction of motion as the user moves forwardly. Inmost cases, the frame includes means for adjusting the total weightthereof to increase or decrease the effort required from the user tomove the frame over the support surface. The effort required is greaterwhen the total weight of the frame is increased and is lesser when thetotal weight of the frame is decreased. U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,727,089 and7,955,223 to Gilman are typical examples of push type exercise sleds.

Most exercise sleds, including those referenced above and issued toGilman, adjust the total weight of the sled by having some type ofvertically extending peg or pin on which a plurality of conventionalbarbell type weight plates can be stacked. Thus, the total weight of thesled varies depending upon how many weight plates it carries. The totalweight of the sled is obviously higher when the sled carries more weightplates and is lower when the sled carries fewer weight plates. To allowthe total weight of the sled to vary over a relatively large range, thepeg or pin carrying the weight plates has to be long enough toaccommodate a large number of weight plates, or multiple pegs or pinshave to be provided on the frame, or each of the weight plates has to berelatively heavy, or some combination of the above.

While this is a workable way of varying the total weight of the sled, ithas a number of disadvantages. For one thing, if heavy weight plates,such as 45 pound weight plates are used, then the total weight of thesled can be adjusted in only relatively large, e.g. 45 pound,increments, with adjustments in between not being possible. If smallerweight plates are used, many more of these weight plates have to be onhand and accessible for stacking to get to a total weight that is largeenough. In addition, the frame of the sled must be provided with manymore pegs or pins for carrying such weight plates.

In addition, if a user selects a very heavy total weight for the sledand then moves the sled a considerable distance over the supportsurface, the user might decide that the same very heavy total weight isnow too much for the user to move over the return trip back to thestarting point due to the effort the user expended in the first half ofthe trip. The only way to lessen the total weight of the sled in thiseventuality is for the user to offload some of the weight plates beforemoving the sled back to the starting point. Unfortunately, this leavesthe offloaded weight plates at some distance away from the startingpoint and requires the user to subsequently go and retrieve them.Accordingly, a way of easily adjusting the effort required by the userto move the sled that would avoid these disadvantages would be anadvance in the art.

Other exercise devices that are somewhat related to the sleds describedabove are wheelbarrow type devices which comprise a frame thatincorporates a ground engaging wheel at one end of the frame. Suchexercise wheelbarrows lack the typical material carrying bucket orhopper found on the types of wheelbarrows found in lawn and gardenstores. Instead, the frame of the exercise wheelbarrow carries the typesof pegs or pins typically found on exercise sleds for being able to loada selected number of weight plates onto the exercise wheelbarrow toadjust the total weight thereof.

The exercise wheelbarrow typically has two rearwardly extending,laterally spaced, elongated handles on the end of the frame opposite tothe end of the frame that carries the wheel. The user grips thesehandles towards the outer end thereof, lifts up on the handles to liftthe total weight of wheelbarrow up off the ground and place such weighton the ground engaging wheel, and then pushes forwardly on the handlesin the manner of a typical wheelbarrow to roll the exercise wheelbarrowforwardly on its wheel. The effort required from the user to do this isa function of how many weight plates are stacked on the pegs or pinscarried on the frame of the wheelbarrow and where such pegs or pins areplaced on that frame. U.S. Pat. No. 8,858,405 to Agate shows an exercisewheelbarrow of this type.

To the extent that exercise wheelbarrows simply use pegs or pins forcarrying a selected number of stacked weight plates in order to adjustthe total weight of the wheelbarrow, exercise wheelbarrows suffer thesame weight adjustment disadvantages as their exercise sled brethren.Thus, a way of easily adjusting the effort required by the user to movean exercise wheelbarrow without suffering from these same disadvantageswould also be an advance in the art.

Finally, exercise sleds and exercise wheelbarrows are typically builtand sold as entirely separate devices. A user wishing to have bothdevices on hand for use in exercising would have to buy both devicesseparately, namely both a sled as well as a separate wheelbarrow. TheAgate patent referenced above discloses a single device that isconvertible between sled and wheelbarrow configurations.

However, the manner of construction of the Agate device and the natureof the conversion is unduly complicated and somewhat cumbersome. Forexample, separate handle styles having separate parts need to be used inthe Agate device depending upon whether one is in the sled or in thewheelbarrow configuration. These separate handles are prone to beinglost on unavailable when needed. In addition, the Agate device uses thetraditional peg or pin/stacked weight plate method of total weightadjustment and thus suffers from the weight adjustment disadvantagesdiscussed above.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

One aspect of this invention relates to an exercise device whichcomprises a frame having a support surface engaging portion that permitsthe frame to move forwardly over the support surface as a user pushesthe frame forwardly using at least one pair of handles provided on theframe. A carriage is provided on the frame configured to support atleast one exercise weight member thereon for adding mass to the frame.The carriage is selectively movable on the frame by the user intodifferent fore-and-aft positions on the frame to vary the resistance topushing that the user must overcome in order for the user to push theframe forwardly. The carriage and the frame have a cooperable lockdisposed therebetween for retaining the carriage in one of the positionsselected by the user.

Another aspect of this invention relates to an exercise device whichcomprises a frame having a front end and a rear end. Two laterallyspaced handles are carried on the frame adjacent the rear end of theframe. The handles are selectively repositionable by a user on the framefrom a first generally horizontal orientation to a second generallyvertical orientation and vice versa. At least one support surfaceengaging wheel is carried on the frame adjacent the front end of theframe with the at least one wheel being rotatable about a substantiallyhorizontal axis of rotation to permit rolling the frame over a supportsurface. At least one support surface engaging, fore-and-aft extendingskid is provided on the frame. At least one exercise weight member iscarried on the frame for adding mass to the frame. The at least one skidis positioned relative to the at least one wheel such that the at leastone skid is lifted up out of contact with the support surface while theat least one wheel remains in contact with the support surface when thehandles are positioned in their first generally horizontal orientationand a user grips the handles and elevates the rear end of the frame bylifting up on the handles to incline the frame downwardly towards thefront end of the frame in the manner of a wheelbarrow such that the useris thereafter able to push forwardly on the handles to roll the frameforwardly over the support surface in the manner of a wheelbarrow. Inaddition, the at least one skid remains in contact with the supportsurface when the handles are positioned in their second generallyvertical orientation such the user is thereafter able to push forwardlyon the handles to slide the frame forwardly over the support surface inthe manner of a sled. The frame may be quickly and easily converted fromuse in the wheelbarrow manner to use in the sled manner and vice versadepending upon whether the user has installed the handles in their firstgenerally horizontal orientation on the frame or in their secondgenerally vertical orientation on the frame, respectively.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

This invention will be described more fully in the following DetailedDescription, when taken in conjunction with the following drawings, inwhich like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of an exercise deviceaccording to this invention, particularly illustrating the device in itssled configuration;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 1 but showing the oppositeside of the exercise device of FIG. 1, with FIG. 2 also particularlyillustrating the device with the add-on exercise weights having beenremoved from the device to illustrate the movable weight carryingcarriage of the device;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the front end of the exercise device ofFIG. 1, particularly illustrating details of the wheel adjustment usedfor changing the vertical position of the support surface engaging wheelrelative to the frame of the device;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the exercise device of FIG. 1 after suchdevice has been converted into its wheelbarrow configuration;

FIG. 6 is perspective view of a second embodiment of an exercise deviceaccording to this invention, particularly illustrating the device in itssled configuration and with the front wheel shown in an exploded form tobetter illustrate an alternative wheel height adjustment mechanism; and

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a portion of the exercise device of FIG.6, particularly illustrating another form of the movable carriage thatcarries additional exercise weight members.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A first embodiment of an exercise device according to this invention isillustrated in the drawings generally as 2. FIGS. 1-3 depict device 2set up for use as an exercise sled 4. Device 2 includes a pair oflaterally spaced handles 6 that can be gripped by a user when device 2is being used by the user for exercising. Handles 6 can be quickly andeasily repositioned from a substantially vertical orientation to asubstantially horizontal orientation to convert device 2 from sled 4 toan exercise wheelbarrow 5 without the need for any additional parts orseparate specially shaped handle assemblies. FIG. 4 depicts device 2after device 2 has been converted into wheelbarrow 5.

Device 2 includes a T-shaped frame 8 having a fore-and-aft extending,hollow, tubular rail 10. Rail 10 is fixed at one end to a hollow,tubular cross member 12 that extends laterally beyond either side ofrail 10 to form the T-shape. Frame 8 is oriented generally horizontallywith rail 10 and cross member 12 being contained in a common plane. Anopen, upwardly facing, handle receiving mount in the nature of a socket14 is provided on the top surface of cross member 12 adjacent each endof cross member 12.

As best shown in FIG. 2, a plurality of downwardly extending, supportsurface engaging skids 16 are rigidly fixed to frame 8. The supportsurface can be any surface, either a natural surface such as the groundor a turf surface or an artificial surface such as a floor or a pavedsurface, which is able to support device 2 for movement of device 2 overthe support surface. A first skid 16 _(a) is provided adjacent the frontend of rail 10. Second and third skids 16 _(b), 16 _(c) are respectivelyprovided adjacent the left and right ends of cross member 12. Each skid16 preferably comprises a flat, rectangular plate 18 with upturned frontand rear edges 19 resembling ski tips. The underside of flat plate 18 ofeach skid 16 preferably includes a friction increasing member 20 of sometype, such as a smooth or knurled rubber pad. Member 20 is removablyattached by fasteners to flat plate 18 of each skid 16 to allow easyreplacement with a new member 20 when the member 20 currently in use hasbecome worn.

A support surface engaging wheel 22 is rotatably journalled between thelaterally spaced arms 24 of a pivotal yoke 26 that is carried on thefront end of rail 10 of frame 8. The rear ends of arms 24 of yoke 26 arepivotally journalled on a bolt 28, which is best shown in FIG. 3, whichserves as a pivot for yoke 26. Bolt 28 is supported within a bushing 30located on the underside of an L-shaped mounting bracket 32 at thejunction between the horizontal top and vertical rear walls 34, 36 ofbracket 32. Rear wall 36 of bracket 32 is affixed by a plate 38 to thefront end of rail 10 by the same attachment bolts 40 that secure firstskid 16 _(a) to plate 38. See FIG. 3.

Referring further to FIG. 3, a rotatable adjustment knob 42 has athreaded, downwardly extending shank 44. Shank 44 is threadedly receivedin a threaded aperture 46 in top wall 34 of bracket 32. Arms 24 of yoke26 are joined together by a bottom cross plate 48. Shank 44 ispositioned generally in alignment with and below shank 44 of knob 42 sothat the bottom of shank 44 always contacts the top of cross plate 48.This is due to the fact that wheel 22 carried on yoke 26 always rests onthe support surface which engagement will rotate yoke 26 upwardly aboutthe pivot axis formed by bolt 28 to keep cross plate 48 engaged with thebottom of shank 44.

When knob 42 is rotated by a user to move shank 44 in a downwarddirection, the engagement of the bottom of shank 44 against cross plate48 of yoke 26 forces the front end of rail 10 and first skid 16 _(a) tojackknife or lift upwardly relative to yoke 26 and wheel 22 and thusrelative to the ground or floor. In this situation, yoke 26 and wheel 22are, in effect, being forced downwardly relative to the front end ofrail 10 and first skid 16 _(a) to progressively take some of the weightoff the front end of rail 10 and first skid 16 _(a) dependent upon howfar up the bottom of shank 44 is raised by rotation of knob 42.Conversely, when knob 42 is rotated in the reverse direction by a userto move shank 44 in an upward direction, the jackknife action willreverse with the front end of rail 10 and first skid 16 _(a) loweringback down towards the ground to reabsorb increasing amounts of weightdepending upon the amount of the reverse rotation of knob 42. Thus, knob42 and the engagement of shank 44 of knob 42 with cross plate 48 ofwheel 22 is an adjustment device that allows the weight of frame 8 atthe front of rail 10 to be carried substantially entirely by first skid16 _(a), or substantially entirely by wheel 22, or at any desired ratiobetween first skid 16 _(a) and wheel 22, as determined by the verticalposition of the bottom of shank 44. This adjustment allows the pushingresistance offered by sled 4 to be varied according to the preference ofthe user.

Referring now to FIG. 2, a carriage 50 is provided on rail 10 of device2 between the front end of rail 10 and cross member 12. Carriage 50comprises a generally box-shaped carriage frame 52 that is capable ofsupporting one or more exercise weight members for adding mass to device2. Top and bottom pairs of flanged rollers 54 are rotatably carried oneach of the front and rear ends of carriage frame 52. The top and bottompairs of rollers 54 at the front and rear ends of carriage frame 52 gripand roll along the top and bottom sides of rail 10 to support carriage50 for rolling motion along a substantial portion of the length of rail10.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, carriage 50 is disposed on rail 10 in one ofits most rearward positions in which carriage 50 is relatively close tocross member 12. However, rollers 54 would allow carriage 50 to berolled towards the front of rail 10 to vary the fore-and-aft distancebetween carriage 50 and wheel 22. This forward motion decreases thelever arm between the additional weight or mass borne by carriage 50 andwheel 22 to decrease the force required to lift and push device 2 whendevice 2 is configured as wheelbarrow 5. Rearward motion of carriage 50obviously increases the lever arm to thereby increase the lifting andpushing force required to move wheelbarrow 5.

Carriage 50 can be locked in a desired fore-and-aft position along rail10 using a cooperable lock having a first portion provided on carriage50 and a second portion provided on rail 10 of frame 8. The lockcomprises a spring biased pop pin 56 on carriage frame 52 that isselectively engaged with one of a plurality of spaced locking holes 58along the length of rail 10. Pop pin 56 has an enlarged head 60 to allowthe user to pull up on pop pin 56 against the bias of a spring (notshown) to disengage or release the locking action provided by pop pin56. With pop pin 56 so released, the user can roll carriage 50fore-and-aft along rail 10 until pop pin 56 is centered above anotherlocking hole 58. The user then releases head 60 of pop pin 56 to allowthe spring force to reengage or reset pop pin 56 into the newly selectedlocking hole 58 to relock carriage 50 in its newly selected positionalong the length of rail 10. While use of a lock which is released andreset by the user is preferred, the lock could alternatively compriseeither a friction type lock which is continuously engaged but with thefriction being capable of being overcome by the user pushing againstcarriage 50 to move carriage 50 into another position along rail 10 or alock that is provided by the holding force of the screw threads on athreaded rod that must be turned or cranked by the user to move carriage50 along rail 10.

Referring again to FIG. 2, carriage 50 includes a pair of upwardlyfacing trays 62 at the top thereof which are configured for supporting afirst type of exercise weight member, namely a pair of selectorizeddumbbells 64 known as PowerBlocks® manufactured and sold by PowerBlock,Inc. of Owatonna, Minn. Dumbbell 64 is disclosed more fully in U.S. Pat.Nos. 5,637,064 and 7,775,947, which are hereby incorporated byreference. Trays 62 are spaced apart in a fore-and-aft direction suchthat there is a front tray and a rear tray. In addition, trays 62 extendlaterally relative to rail 10 such that dumbbells 64 supported on trays62 are also laterally disposed with the axis of the handle of eachdumbbell 64 extending perpendicularly to rail 10. Trays 62 arepreferably centered atop carriage frame 52 so that the weight or massprovided thereby is centered on carriage 50 both in fore-an-aft andlateral directions.

In addition, carriage 50 includes pins 66 that extend laterallyoutwardly from opposite sides of carriage frame 52. Pins 66 are centeredon carriage frame 52 between trays 62 at a vertical location below thatof trays 62 with pins 66 extending outwardly beyond the correspondingsides of rail 10. A second type of exercise weight member comprising aplurality of barbell type weight plates 68 can be mounted to either sideof carriage frame 52 by slipping the center holes in each weight plate68 onto one pin 66. Pins 66 are desirably long enough to allow aplurality of such weight plates 68 to be slipped onto each pin 66. Whenweight plates 68 are loaded onto pins 66, weight plates 66, which may beas large as standard 45 lb. barbell weight plates, will extenddownwardly past the sides of rails 10 but will not extend so far down asto touch the support surface on which device 2 is supported.

FIG. 1 demonstrates one way in which carriage 50 can be loaded withadditional weight. Two relatively large weight plates 68 (e.g. standard45 lb. barbell weight plates) are capable of being slipped onto each pin66. These weight plates 68 collectively provide 180 lbs. of weight.Obviously, smaller barbell weight plates 68 could be received on pins 66as well with each pin 66 possibly accommodating more than two suchweight plates 68 as the weight plates get smaller. In addition, one orboth of trays 62 of carriage 50 can carry dumbbell 64.

FIG. 1 shows two fully loaded dumbbells 64 carried on trays 62 inaddition to the four 45 lb. weight plates 68. Since a fully loadeddumbbell 64 can be as heavy as 125 pounds, using two fully loadeddumbbells 64 would allow the total weight placed on carriage 50 to be asmuch as approximately 430 pounds, namely the collective weight of weightplates 68 and the weight of dumbbells 64. However, in a selectorizeddumbbell like dumbbell 64, a selector is provided which can be movedselectively by a user to “select” or couple different numbers of weightsto the handle of dumbbell 64. Thus, the user has relatively fine controlof the total weight placed onto carriage 50 by adjusting dumbbells 64into any desired weight less than their maximum weight before they areplaced onto trays 62. Obviously, further adjustment is possible by usingonly weight plates 68, or only dumbbells 64, or only one dumbbell 64, oncarriage 50. Thus a wide range of weight can be placed onto carriage 50at the preference of the user.

While use of rollers 54 on carriage 50 is preferred as a way offacilitating movement of carriage 50 along rail 10, such rollers 54could be deleted in favor of a non-rotatable sliding interface of sometype, such as a key/keyway interface. Thus, the term “carriage” as usedherein is intended to cover any component or structure that supportssomething, namely the weight plates 68 and/or dumbbells 64, and thatmoves relative to frame 8 to shift the position of what is beingsupported thereon.

Finally, handles 6 received in sockets 14 adjacent the opposite ends ofcross member 12 preferably comprise simple cylindrical pipes or tubeswhich are separate from one another. Sockets 14 have a circular shapewith an internal diameter that is slightly larger than the outerdiameter of handles 6. This allows the circular form of the lower endsof the pipes or tubes that form handles 6 to be easily and quicklyslipped downwardly into sockets 14 in a telescopic fit without using aseparate locking device to hold handles 6 in sockets 14. However, sometype of handle locking device between the lower ends of handles 6 andsockets 14, e.g. a screw thread connection or a locking pin received ina through bore, could be optionally used if so desired.

The cross-sectional shape of handles 6 and sockets 14 could be otherthan cylindrical, e.g. square, as long as the shape permits a telescopicinterconnection between the two. In addition, sockets 14 could compriseupwardly extending mounting posts with the open ends of handles 6 beingsomewhat larger so that the posts telescopically fit inside the openends of handles 6. Thus, the mounts that connect handles 6 to frame 8are preferably telescopic in nature for ease of use, but it is notimportant which member is the male member and which is the female memberin such a telescopic interconnection.

The form of device 2 comprising sled 4 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 isobviously intended to be pushed by a user standing behind sled 4 whogrips the upper end of each handle 6 and then pushes sled 4 over thesupport surface using leg and upper body strength. In doing this, theuser can obviously place a desired amount of weight on carriage 50 toform the exercise weight that he or she must move by pushing sled 4. Inaddition, the user can adjust the position of wheel 22 using therotatable knob 42 to vary the amount of the weight at the front of frame8 that is carried by first skid 16 _(a). When more weight is carried bywheel 22 and less by first skid 16 _(a), sled 4 will be easier to push,and vice versa.

When device 2 is used as sled 4, the position of carriage 50 along rail10 can also affect the force the user must apply to sled 4 to push sled4 or affect how sled 4 behaves when being pushed. For example, in thesituation where wheel 22 is adjusted upwardly into a non-weight bearingposition and skids 16 are bearing the entire mass of sled 4, carriage 50is preferably moved to a centered or even a somewhat rearward positionon rail 10 so that the additional mass provided by carriage 50 and theexercise weight members carried thereon is not too far forward and tooclose to wheel 22. This is useful in avoiding the tendency of aforwardly positioned carriage 50 that is close to wheel 22 to cause sled4 to pitch or overturn forwardly when sled 4 is being pushed forwardlyby the user.

In addition, when wheel 22 is adjusted downwardly to take some of themass of sled 4 off first skid 16 _(a), and even into a position wherefirst skid 16 _(a) is lifted completely off the support surface suchthat sled 4 has only second and third skids 16 _(b) and 16 _(c) incontact with the support surface, then the position of carriage 50 alongrail 10 can affect how much force the user must apply to sled 4 to pushit forwardly. For example, if carriage 50 is moved rearwardly on rail 10to at least partially overlie second and third skids 16 _(b) and 16,,then the additional mass provided by carriage 50 and the exercise weightmembers carried thereon forces second and third skids 16 _(b) and 16_(c) more firmly into engagement with the support surface making itharder for the user to push it forwardly over the support surface. Ifcarriage 50 and the exercise weight members carried thereon are movedforwardly to be somewhat close to wheel 22 when wheel 22 is in at leasta partial weight bearing engagement with the support surface, then sled4 is markedly easier to push than when carriage 50 is more rearward. Inthis situation, since wheel 22 is in at least a partial weight bearingengagement with the support surface, wheel 22 helps sled avoid thepitching or overturning tendency that it might otherwise have with aforwardly positioned carriage.

Instead of pushing sled 4 forwardly using the substantially verticallyoriented handles 6 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a user may couple himselfor herself to sled 4 using a body harness of some type (not shown) thatis attached to some type of eyelet or anchor (not shown) on the front offrame 8. In this type of exercise, the user stands in front of sled 4and leans forwardly and walks or runs forwardly to pull sled 4 behindthe user. The upturned “ski tip” type front and rear edges 19 of skids16 help skids 16 travel over the support surface without digging intothe support surface whether sled 4 is being pushed from the rear viahandles 6 or pulled from the front via the body harness.

Referring now to FIG. 4, device 2 in the form of sled 4 can be veryquickly and easily converted into wheelbarrow 5 simply by repositioninghandles 6. Handles 6 as used on sled 4 are first pulled upwardly out ofsockets 14 located on the top of cross member 12 to disconnect handles 6completely from cross member 12. Then, handles 6 are reconnected tocross member 12 into open, rearwardly facing, horizontal sockets 70contained on a rear wall of cross member 12 with such horizontal sockets70 passing through cross member 12 to terminate in capped front ends 72.Horizontal sockets 70 are laterally spaced apart from one another alongthe length of cross member 12 but by a distance which is slightly lessthan the distance of vertical sockets 14 used in sled 4. When one end ofeach handle 6 is pushed forwardly into the open rear end of eachhorizontal socket 70, the pair of handles 6 will be laterally spacedapart from one another and substantially horizontal or in the same planeas frame 8 of device 2 as shown in FIG. 4.

With handles 6 repositioned as shown in FIG. 4, device 2 can be used aswheelbarrow 5 by a user standing behind device 2. The user simplyreaches down, grabs handles 6, lifts upwardly on handles 6 to elevateframe 8 using handles 6 until all of the skids 16 are lifted up off theground and the weight of device 2 is borne by wheel 22, and then pushesforwardly on handles 6 to roll wheelbarrow 5 over the support surface inthe manner of a typical wheelbarrow. The force required from the user todo this depends upon two factors.

The first factor is the total amount of weight placed on carriage 50 inthe form of weight plates 68, dumbbells 64, or both. The second factoris the location of carriage 50 relative to wheel 22. If carriage 50 ismoved forwardly towards wheel 22, the force required from the user for agiven amount of weight carried by carriage 50 goes down. The converse istrue if carriage 50 is moved further back on rail 10 away from wheel 22.Then, the force required from the user for the same given amount ofweight carried by carriage 50 goes up.

The provision of carriage 50 and its movability along rail 10 coupledwith the ability to change in rather large amounts the weight carried bycarriage 50 itself provides the user with an ability to easily changethe effective weight of wheelbarrow 5. This can be done quickly andeasily for the most part by putting a total weight on carriage 50 thatis in the moderate range for a particular user and then simply rollingcarriage 50 back and forth along rail 10 to make this weight more orless effective for the user. There is no longer a need to have manydifferent weight plates available and on hand or to continually changeor adjust the weight by stacking or unstacking different numbers ofweight plates on frame 8 of device 2. All the user has to do is loadcarriage 50 with a sufficient amount of weight and then roll carriage 50back and forth as need be. This enhances the ease and use of wheelbarrow5 by the user.

In addition, the ability to convert device 2 from sled 4 to wheelbarrow5 in a quick and simple manner is advantageous. All the user has to dois slip handles 6 out of one set of sockets 14 and into the other set ofsockets 70. The vertical sockets 14 are used for sled 4, the horizontalsockets 70 for wheelbarrow 5. There is no need for two sets of speciallyshaped handles in order to make the conversion or for two entirelyseparate exercise devices 2 with one being the sled and the other beingthe wheelbarrow.

Referring now to FIGS. 5 and 6, a second embodiment of an exercisedevice according to this invention is illustrated generally as 2′. Thesame reference numerals used in FIGS. 1-4 to refer to components will beused in FIGS. 5 and 6 to refer to the same or corresponding componentswith a prime designation being used to refer to those components in thesecond embodiment, e.g. device 2′ in FIGS. 5 and 6 as opposed to device2 in FIGS. 1-4.

Frame 8′ of device 2′ is no longer T-shaped but has a rectangularbox-like shape in which rail 10′ extends between laterally extendingfront and rear cross members 12′. Instead of three skids arranged in atripod configuration as in device 2, device 2′ is provided with two muchlonger side skids 16 _(b)′ and 16 _(c)′ that are bolted to opposite endsof front and rear cross members 12′. Side skids 16 _(b)′ and 16 _(c)′run substantially the entire fore-and-aft length of frame 8′.

Device 2′ has a different wheel height adjustment mechanism for wheel22′. As shown in FIG. 5, wheel 22′ is rotatably journalled at hole 74 toa rotatable height adjustment lever 76 that is pivotally carried on awheel mount 78 that extends forwardly from front cross member 12′. Lever76 has a plurality of vertically spaced height adjustment holes 80 thatwill receive a laterally extending locking pin (not shown) on wheelmount 78. Lever 76 can be flexed or pivoted to the side to disengage thelocking pin from whatever hole 80 it is currently received in, lever 76can then be rotated to position another hole 80 adjacent the lockingpin, and lever 76 can then be reset into its normal position such thatthe locking pin enters the newly selected hole 80. The height of wheel22′ relative to frame 8′ is thus adjusted up or down depending uponwhich hole 80 is used to receive the locking pin. This type of wheelheight adjustment mechanism which permits height adjustment in discreteincrements is well known in the walk behind lawn mower art for adjustingthe height of lawn mower wheels and need not be further describedherein.

As further shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, carriage 50′ is still movable alongfore-and-aft along rail 10′, but now includes only a single, largerectangular tray 62′ that is open at the top for receiving therein twodumbbells 64′. Dumbbells 64′ extend in a lateral direction relative torail 10′ with a dumbbells 64′ being arranged in tandem in a fore-and-aftdirection inside tray 62′. Thus, carriage 50′ can be much morevertically compact than its counterpart 20 as it lacks any of the pinsneeded to support the barbell type weight plates. A releasable andresettable pop pin 56′/hole 58′ lock is still used to retain carriage50′ in a desired adjusted position along rail 10′, but this time suchlock is positioned along the bottom of rail 10′ rather than the top ofrail 10′. A pivotal lever type handle 82 extends out from beneath rail10′ to the side of carriage 50′ to allow the user to manipulate pop pin56′ from the side without having to get down on his or her knees andreach beneath rail 10′. See FIG. 6.

Finally, each of the front and rear cross members 12′ carries both pairsof vertical sockets 14′ and horizontal sockets 70′ for reception ofhandles 6′ and a second wheel 22 _(b)′ is carried at the rear end offrame 8′ on rear cross members 12′. Second wheel 22 _(b)′ may be adifferent size than wheel 22′ and may lack any height adjustability.Alternatively, second wheel 22 _(b)′ may be exactly the same as wheel22′ and may be provided with height adjustability in the same manner aswheel 22′, effectively being a duplicate of wheel 22′ on the rear end offrame 8′.

The duplication of sockets 14′ and 70′ on both ends of frame 8′ alongwith wheels 22′ and 22 _(b)′ on both ends of frame 8′ means that a userwhen exercising would not necessarily have to turn frame 8′ around inorder to go back in the direction that he or she just came from. Thiswould be useful if device 2′ is being used in tight or restrictedspaces. After making a first pass in one direction and coming to the endof the pass, the user could simply remount handles 6′ in one set ofsockets 14′ or 70′ at the opposite end of frame 6 to then begin pushingframe 8′ back in the opposite direction to that which it was travelingin the first pass. This avoids having to muscle frame 8′ around in orderto go back in the direction from which it has just come.

Various modifications of this invention will be apparent to thoseskilled in the art. For example, device 2, 2′ is most economically soldand used with only a single pair of handles 6, 6′. This enables the userto switch handles 6, 6′ from one set of sockets to the other set ofsockets 14′, 70′ to quickly and easily convert between the sled andwheelbarrow configurations of device 2, 2′. However, rather thanrequiring such a conversion, it would be possible for a user to purchaseat least two pairs of handles 6, 6′ rather than a single pair of handlesso that the user would install one pair of handles 6, 6′ in the verticalsockets 14, 14′ and the second pair of handles 6, 6′ in the horizontalsockets 70, 70′ and leave them permanently in place. While not aseconomic as having to purchase only a single pair of handles, some usersmight prefer having two pairs of handles and simply leaving them inplace in order to use the sled or wheelbarrow configurations of thedevice without having to reposition the handles. Thus, the scope of thisinvention is to be limited only by the appended claims.

1. An exercise device, which comprises: (a) a frame having a supportsurface engaging portion that permits the frame to move forwardly overthe support surface as a user pushes the frame forwardly using at leastone pair of handles provided on the frame; and (b) a carriage providedon the frame configured to support at least one exercise weight memberthereon for adding mass to the frame, the carriage being selectivelymovable on the frame by the user into different fore-and-aft positionson the frame to vary the resistance to pushing that the user mustovercome in order for the user to push the frame forwardly, the carriageand the frame having a cooperable lock disposed therebetween forretaining the carriage in one of the positions selected by the user. 2.The exercise device of claim 1, wherein the support surface engagingportion comprises at least one rotatable wheel such that the frame ispushed forwardly by the user in the manner of a wheelbarrow.
 3. Theexercise device of claim 1, wherein the support surface engaging portioncomprises at least one substantially horizontal skid surface such thatthe frame is pushed forwardly by the user in the manner of a sled. 4.The exercise device of claim 1, wherein (a) the support surface engagingportion comprises both: (i) at least one rotatable wheel such that theframe is pushed forwardly by the user in the manner of a wheelbarrow;and (ii) at least one substantially horizontal skid surface such thatthe frame is pushed forwardly by the user in the manner of a sled,whereby the frame can be pushed forwardly by the user either in thewheelbarrow manner or the sled manner according to the user'spreference; and (b) wherein the at least one wheel is selectivelyvertically adjustable by the user relative to the frame to allow theuser to remove a portion of a total mass being carried by the at leastone skid surface off the at least one skid surface and to transfer suchmass portion to the at least one wheel to thereby lessen the pushingresistance required from the user when the user is pushing the frameforwardly in the sled manner.
 5. The exercise device of claim 4, whereinthe at least one pair of handles comprises only a single pair of handlesthat are selectively repositionable on the frame between first andsecond positions on the frame, wherein the handles in the first positionthereof are generally horizontally oriented for gripping by the userwhen the user is pushing the frame forwardly in the wheelbarrow mannerand the handles in the second position thereof are generally verticallyoriented for gripping by the user when the user is pushing the frameforwardly in the sled manner.
 6. The exercise device of claim 5, whereinthe single pair of handles comprises two, substantially identical,elongated tubular members that are physically separate from one another,and wherein the frame comprises first and second pairs of mounts havingmatching shapes to the tubular members such that the tubular members canbe telescopically connected to either the first pair of mounts or thesecond pair of mounts at any given time, the first pair of mounts beingoriented generally horizontally on the frame for use when the user ispushing the frame forwardly in the wheelbarrow manner and the secondpair of mounts being oriented generally vertically oriented on the framefor use when the user is pushing the frame forwardly in the sled manner.7. The exercise device of claim 6, wherein each of the first and secondpairs of mounts comprise a pair of laterally spaced sockets carried onthe frame into which the tubular members can be telescopically inserted,the sockets in the first pair which are used when the user is pushingthe frame forwardly in the wheelbarrow manner being positioned laterallyinside the sockets in the second pair which are used when the user ispushing the frame forwardly in the sled manner.
 8. The exercise deviceof claim 6, wherein each of the first and second pairs of mounts and theat least one vertically adjustable wheel are duplicated on both a frontend and a rear end of the frame to allow the frame to be pushedforwardly in the wheelbarrow manner or in the sled manner without havingto turn the frame around.
 9. The exercise device of claim 4, wherein theat least one pair of handles comprises first and second pairs of handlescarried on the frame with the first pair of handles being generallyhorizontally oriented for gripping by the user when the user is pushingthe frame forwardly in the wheelbarrow manner the second pair of handlesbeing generally vertically oriented for gripping by the user when theuser is pushing the frame forwardly in the sled manner.
 10. The exercisedevice of claim 4, wherein the at least one wheel is infinitelyadjustable relative to the frame between upper and lower limits using ascrew thread adjustment.
 11. The exercise device of claim 4, wherein theat least one wheel is adjustable relative to the frame in discreteincrements between upper and lower limits using a pin and holeadjustment in which a locking pin is received in one of a plurality ofvertically spaced pin receiving holes.
 12. The exercise device of claim1, wherein the lock is releasable by the user to permit the user to movethe carriage fore-and-aft on the frame and is resettable by the user torelock the carriage in the one position selected by the user.
 13. Anexercise device, which comprises: (a) a frame having a support surfaceengaging portion that permits the frame to move forwardly over thesupport surface as a user pushes the frame forwardly using at least onepair of handles provided on the frame; (b) a carriage provided on theframe configured to support at least one exercise weight member thereonfor adding mass to the frame, the carriage being selectively movable onthe frame by the user into different fore-and-aft positions on the frameto vary the resistance to pushing that the user must overcome in orderfor the user to push the frame forwardly, the carriage and the framehaving a cooperable lock disposed therebetween for retaining thecarriage in one of the positions selected by the user; (c) wherein theat least one exercise weight member comprises at least two barbellweight plates, wherein the carriage frame includes a pin extendinglaterally outwardly from each side of the carriage frame with the pinsbeing long enough to support thereon at least one barbell weight platethat is as large as 45 lbs. in mass, the pins being high enough on thecarriage frame to support any of the barbell weight plates carriedthereon above the support surface over which the frame of the device ismovable and (d) wherein the at least one exercise weight member furthercomprises two dumbbells, wherein the carriage frame is topped by a pairof laterally extending trays each of which is capable of supporting oneof the dumbbells thereon in a laterally extending orientation of thedumbbell, the barbell weight supporting pins being longitudinallycentered on the carriage frame between the dumbbell supporting trayswith the trays being located sufficiently above the pins such thatbarbell weight plates as large as 45 lbs. when received on the pins donot interfere with the trays and the dumbbells carried thereon.
 14. Theexercise device of claim 13, wherein the barbell weight plate supportingpins are long enough so that each pin is capable of supporting at leasttwo 45 lb. barbell weight plates thereon.
 15. (canceled)
 16. An exercisedevice, which comprises: (a) a frame having a front end and a rear end;(b) two laterally spaced handles carried on the frame adjacent the rearend of the frame, wherein the handles are selectively repositionable bya user on the frame from a first generally horizontal orientation to asecond generally vertical orientation and vice versa; (c) at least onesupport surface engaging wheel carried on the frame adjacent the frontend of the frame with the at least one wheel being rotatable about asubstantially horizontal axis of rotation to permit rolling the frameover a support surface; (d) at least one support surface engaging,fore-and-aft extending skid on the frame; (e) at least one exerciseweight member carried on the frame for adding mass to the frame; (f)wherein the at least one skid is positioned relative to the at least onewheel such that the at least one skid is lifted up out of contact withthe support surface while the at least one wheel remains in contact withthe support surface when the handles are positioned in their firstgenerally horizontal orientation and a user grips the handles andelevates the rear end of the frame by lifting up on the handles toincline the frame downwardly towards the front end of the frame in themanner of a wheelbarrow such that the user is thereafter able to pushforwardly on the handles to roll the frame forwardly over the supportsurface in the manner of a wheelbarrow; (g) wherein the at least oneskid remains in contact with the support surface when the handles arepositioned in their second generally vertical orientation such the useris thereafter able to push forwardly on the handles to slide the frameforwardly over the support surface in the manner of a sled, whereby theframe may be quickly and easily converted from use in the wheelbarrowmanner to use in the sled manner and vice versa depending upon whetherthe user has installed the handles in their first generally horizontalorientation on the frame or in their second generally verticalorientation on the frame, respectively; and (h) wherein the at least onewheel is carried on the frame when the user is pushing the frameforwardly in the sled manner with the at least one wheel beingselectively vertically adjustable by the user relative to the frame toallow the user to remove a portion less than all of a total mass beingcarried by the at least one skid surface off the at least one skidsurface and to transfer such mass portion to the at least one wheel tothereby lessen the pushing resistance required from the user when theuser is pushing the frame forwardly in the sled manner.
 17. (canceled)18. The exercise device of claim 16, wherein the at least one exerciseweight member comprises at least one dumbbell and a plurality of barbellweight plates.
 19. The exercise device of claim 18, wherein the exerciseweight members comprising the at least one dumbbell and the plurality ofbarbell weight plates are supported on a carriage that is movable in afore-and-aft direction on the frame towards and away from the at leastone front wheel.
 20. The exercise device of claim 19, further includinga cooperable, releasable and resettable lock disposed between thecarriage and the frame for retaining the carriage and the exerciseweight members carried thereon in a user adjusted position.
 21. Theexercise device of claim 13, wherein each dumbbell is a selectorizeddumbbell having a selector which can be moved selectively by a user tocouple different numbers of weights to a handle of the dumbbell.